Inkjet apparatus

Abstract

To provide an inkjet apparatus capable of aligning an inkjet head with high accuracy.MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM: The inkjet printer includes an object to be adjusted whose position is to be adjusted, and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the object to be adjusted, wherein the object to be adjusted is an inkjet head or an attachment plate for attaching the inkjet head, and when the position of the object to be adjusted is adjusted, the direction of a force applied to the object to be adjusted by the adjustment mechanism is constant.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to inkjet devices. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, printed electronics, which involves forming electronic devices on demand using inkjet printing, has become increasingly popular.

[0003] For example, the printing of display panels is becoming increasingly fine. As the cell size of the printing object shrinks, the size of the droplets ejected from the inkjet head must become smaller, and the nozzle arrangement must have a narrower pitch. For example, the required droplet volume is 1 to 2 pL, and the nozzle arrangement must be 900 to 2400 dpi.

[0004] A commonly known method for performing high-precision inkjet head alignment is one that includes a mechanism for finely adjusting the inkjet head in the horizontal and rotational directions both off-machine (when the inkjet device is not operating) and on-machine (when the inkjet device is operating). Patent Document 1 describes an adjustment mechanism that uses a tip reference pin and an eccentric pin to push the recording head in the horizontal and rotational directions, and an elastic mechanism to push the recording head back from the opposite direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4892846 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, with conventional configurations, play and twisting can cause poor operational tracking and deformation of parts, resulting in insufficient alignment accuracy. Furthermore, torsional forces are applied to the inkjet head and its fixing members, which can easily cause deformation of the members and misalignment of the rotation center. In other words, the alignment accuracy is insufficient, leading to a problem of insufficient alignment accuracy for achieving a narrow nozzle pitch of, for example, 900 to 2400 dpi.

[0007] Furthermore, the relationship between the maintenance worker's input (rotation) and the amount of movement of the object being adjusted is not constant but fluctuates, resulting in insufficient linearity (linearity of operation), making work difficult and increasing maintenance time, resulting in reduced equipment availability.

[0008] Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure contribute to providing an inkjet device capable of aligning inkjet heads with high precision. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] An inkjet device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes an adjustment object whose position is to be adjusted, and an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the position of the adjustment object, wherein the adjustment object is an inkjet head or a mounting plate to which the inkjet head is attached, and when adjusting the position of the adjustment object, the direction of the force that the adjustment mechanism exerts on the adjustment object is constant. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an inkjet device that can align inkjet heads with high accuracy.

[0011] Further advantages and benefits of an embodiment of the present disclosure will become apparent from the specification and drawings. Such advantages and / or benefits may be provided by some of the embodiments and features described in the specification and drawings, respectively, but not necessarily all of them may be provided to obtain one or more identical features. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an inkjet device according to a first embodiment; [Figure 2A] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a YZ cross section of a head unit according to a first embodiment; [Figure 2B] Schematic diagram of a nozzle plate according to the first embodiment [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an adjustment mechanism according to a first embodiment; [Figure 4A] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a second extrusion section according to a first embodiment; [Figure 4B] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between the rotation angle of the second extrusion section and the distance from the rotation center according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4C] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of a second extrusion section according to a first embodiment; [Figure 4D] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a method for fixing the rotation angle of the first component according to the first embodiment; [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a first extrusion section according to a first embodiment; [Figure 6A] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an elastic body that constitutes a first push-back portion and a second push-back portion according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6B] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an elastic body that constitutes a first push-back portion and a second push-back portion according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a head group according to a first embodiment; [Figure 8A] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a line head according to a first embodiment; [Figure 8B] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a line head according to a first embodiment; [Figure 8C] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration in which a plurality of line heads according to a first embodiment are arranged; [Figure 9A] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of alignment of an object to be adjusted by a second extrusion unit using an eccentric pin. [Figure 9B] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of alignment of an object to be adjusted by a second extrusion unit according to the first embodiment; [Figure 10A] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between the input amount of the second pushing section and the movement amount of the adjustment object according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10B] A diagram showing the relationship between the input amount of the second extrusion section using an eccentric pin and the movement amount of the adjustment target. [Figure 10C] A diagram showing the relationship between the angle formed by the direction of the force pushing the mounting plate and the direction of movement of the mounting plate relative to the rotation angle of the eccentric pin and the constant velocity linear cam pin. [Figure 10D] Schematic diagram showing the range of movement of the mounting plate by the second extrusion part [Figure 10E] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a mounting plate for miniaturizing an inkjet device. [Figure 11A] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of alignment of an object to be adjusted by a second extrusion unit using a tapered pin. [Figure 11B] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of alignment of an object to be adjusted by a second extrusion unit using a tapered pin. [Figure 11C] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of alignment of an object to be adjusted by a second extrusion unit using a tapered pin. [Figure 11D] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of alignment of an object to be adjusted by a second extrusion unit according to the first embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or redundant explanation of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following explanation and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0014] The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0015] First Embodiment An inkjet device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a plan view of the inkjet device 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the longitudinal direction of the inkjet device 1 is defined as the X direction, the lateral direction is defined as the Y direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X and Y directions is defined as the Z direction.

[0016] The inkjet device 1 includes a base 2 , a guide 3 , a conveying table 4 , a gantry 5 , a head unit 6 , and a driving unit 8 .

[0017] The base 2 is configured as a rectangular parallelepiped having a rectangular planar shape that is long in the scanning direction of the head unit 6.

[0018] The guide 3 is fixed to the upper surface of the base 2 along the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the base 2, i.e., along the scanning direction. As an example, the guide 3 is made of a member having a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a rectangular cross section perpendicular to the scanning direction.

[0019] The conveying table 4 has a rectangular shape, and its lower surface (the surface on the +Z side) contacts the guide 3. The conveying table 4 is guided by the guide 3 and conveyed in the scanning direction of the base 2. A printing object 7 such as a substrate is placed on the conveying table 4.

[0020] The gantry 5 has a gate-like shape and is a support member that supports the head unit 6. The gantry 5 is fixed to a predetermined position, for example, an intermediate position, of the base 2 so as to straddle the base 2 in the short direction in a plan view (when viewed from the -Z side).

[0021] The head unit 6 is an example of an ejection head, and is supported by the gantry 5. The head unit 6 ejects ink toward the printing object 7 in synchronization with the timing at which the printing object 7 passes under the head unit 6. In this way, the ink is applied to the application area of ​​the printing object 7.

[0022] 1, two head units 6 are arranged on each side of the gantry 5, but only one head unit 6 may be arranged on the gantry 5, or two gantry 5 may be arranged with two head units 6 arranged on each side of each gantry 5. The number and arrangement of the head units 6 may be changed depending on the processing to be performed by the head units 6 on the printing object 7.

[0023] In addition, in order to drive the conveying table 4 in the scanning direction, at least one driving unit 8 is arranged on the base 2 along the scanning direction and is connected to the conveying table 4 so that the conveying table 4 can be driven and conveyed in the scanning direction.

[0024] In Fig. 1, as an example of the drive unit 8, two drive units 8 extending in the scanning direction are arranged near both ends of the base 2 in the short side direction. Each drive unit 8 may be a linear motor, or may be a ball screw connected to a rotary motor, etc. In this configuration, a drive unit 8 using a linear motor is shown as an example.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, when the head unit 6 is arranged across the entire width of the inkjet device 1 in the Y direction, the head unit 6 can apply ink to the printing object 7 in one go, thereby enabling efficient printing of large quantities of printed materials.

[0026] On the other hand, there are cases where the head unit 6 is not arranged across the entire width of the inkjet device 1 in the Y direction. In this case, the inkjet device 1 performs printing using a multi-scan method. In multi-scan printing, the head unit 6 moves back and forth multiple times over the printing object 7 to print multiple lines. This allows the inkjet device 1 to print specific areas precisely, reducing ink waste and reducing costs. Printing using this type of multi-scan method is sometimes called swath printing.

[0027] The schematic configuration of the head unit 6 will be described with reference to Figures 2A and 2B. Figure 2A is a diagram showing an example of a YZ cross section of the head unit 6 according to the first embodiment. Figure 2B is a schematic diagram of a nozzle plate 12a according to the first embodiment.

[0028] The head unit 6 includes a mounting plate 11 , an inkjet head 12 , and a heat insulating material 13 .

[0029] Each module constituting the head unit 6 is attached to the mounting plate 11. As shown in Fig. 2A, the mounting plate 11 and the inkjet head 12 are fastened and fixed by screws 14.

[0030] The inkjet head 12 has a structure in which nozzle plates 12a, etc. are stacked. For example, the nozzle plate 12a shown in Fig. 2B has one or more nozzle rows 12b each having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink.

[0031] The heat insulators 13 are arranged to sandwich the mounting plate 11 in the Z direction and are fixed with screws 14. The heat insulators 13 insulate the mounting plate 11 from heat from the heater provided in the inkjet head 12. The heat insulators 13 are preferably made of a ceramic material with high thermal insulation properties, such as Photoveel (registered trademark). If the inkjet head 12 does not have a heater, the heat insulators 13 may be omitted.

[0032] The general configuration of the adjustment mechanism 20 that adjusts the position of the mounting plate 11 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the general configuration of the adjustment mechanism 20 according to the first embodiment. The mounting plate 11 is disposed on a base plate 31. The adjustment mechanism 20 may also be referred to as an alignment mechanism.

[0033] The adjustment mechanism 20 is a mechanism that aligns the mounting plate 11, which is the object to be adjusted. The adjustment mechanism 20 includes a first adjustment mechanism 201 having a first pushing portion 21 and a first pushing-back portion 22, and a second adjustment mechanism 202 having a second pushing portion 23 and a second pushing-back portion 24.

[0034] The first adjustment mechanism 201 is a mechanism that adjusts the horizontal position (first direction) of the mounting plate 11, and the second adjustment mechanism 202 is a mechanism that adjusts the position in the rotational direction (second direction) when the mounting plate 11 rotates around the tip end 211 of the first extrusion section 21.

[0035] The first extrusion portion 21 is disposed in a groove portion 111 provided on the surface of the mounting plate 11 on the +Y side. The first extrusion portion 21 has a tip portion 211 and a main body portion 212. For example, the groove portion 111 has a V-shape. Note that the groove portion 111 may also be provided on the surface of the mounting plate 11 on the -Y side.

[0036] The first pushing section 21 applies a force horizontally in the -Y direction to push the mounting plate 11, moving the mounting plate 11 in parallel and aligning the mounting plate 11. The first pushing section 21 pushes the mounting plate 11 via the groove section 111 provided in the mounting plate 11. Note that the first pushing section 21 may also align the mounting plate 11 by pulling the mounting plate 11.

[0037] The first push-back portion 22 is arranged on the -Y side surface of the mounting plate 11. The first push-back portion 22 is provided on the surface opposite to the surface on which the first push-out portion 21 is provided. The first push-back portion 22 pushes back the mounting plate 11 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the first push-out portion 21 pushes the mounting plate 11.

[0038] The second extrusion section 23 is disposed on the -X side surface of the mounting plate 11, and pushes the mounting plate 11 in the circumferential direction of a circle centered on the tip section 211 of the first extrusion section 21. This causes the mounting plate 11 to rotate around the tip section 211. Note that the second extrusion section 23 may align the mounting plate 11 by pulling the mounting plate 11.

[0039] The second push-back portion 24 is disposed on the +X side surface of the mounting plate 11. The second push-back portion 24 is provided on the surface opposite to the surface on which the second push-out portion 23 is provided. The second push-back portion 24 pushes back the mounting plate 11 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the second push-out portion 23 pushes the mounting plate 11.

[0040] In this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 20 adjusts the position of the inkjet head 12 by adjusting the position of the mounting plate 11 that is fastened and fixed to the inkjet head 12 with the screws 14. Note that the inkjet head 12 may be directly aligned instead of aligning the mounting plate 11 to which the inkjet head 12 is fastened and fixed.

[0041] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2A, when the mounting plate 11 has a structure including a heat insulating material 13, the adjustment mechanism 20 is preferably an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the mounting plate 11 fastened and fixed by screws 14 via the heat insulating material 13.

[0042] Next, a schematic configuration of the second extrusion section 23 will be described with reference to Fig. 4A. Fig. 4A is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the second extrusion section 23 according to the first embodiment.

[0043] The second extrusion section 23 includes a constant velocity curve. A constant velocity curve is a curve in which the distance from the center of rotation to the follower increases or decreases proportionally to the rotation angle. The second extrusion section 23 of this embodiment includes a constant velocity curve that is configured continuously over 180 degrees or more. A pin that includes such a constant velocity curve is called a constant velocity linear cam pin. It is preferable that the range over which the velocity of the follower is constant is wide.

[0044] If the second extrusion section 23 is configured with a constant velocity curve over the entire circumference (360 degrees), abrupt steps will be created at the joints (for example, at 0 degrees and 360 degrees), which may result in damage to the second extrusion section 23 due to contact with the mounting plate 11. Therefore, it is preferable that the range in which the velocity of the follower is constant is less than 360 degrees.

[0045] From the viewpoint of workability, it is preferable that the second extrusion section 23 is a constant velocity cam that keeps the speed of the follower constant over 270 degrees or more. A recessed portion having any shape may be provided in a portion of the second extrusion section 23 other than the portion where the follower moves at a constant speed. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the recessed portion is machined into the shape of an arc with a radius smaller than the outer circumferential circle of the second extrusion section 23.

[0046] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4A, the second pushing section 23 is a constant velocity cam that keeps the speed of the mounting plate 11, which is the follower, constant over 300 degrees from −150 degrees to +150 degrees.

[0047] The cam curve of the constant velocity cam will be described with reference to Fig. 4B, which is a diagram showing the relationship between the rotation angle of second extrusion section 23 and the distance from the center of rotation according to the first embodiment.

[0048] The vertical axis of the graph in Figure 4B represents the distance from the center of rotation, and the horizontal axis represents the rotation angle. The cam curve of a constant velocity cam is a constant velocity curve in which the distance from the center of rotation to the outer periphery increases or decreases proportionally to the increase or decrease in the rotation angle.

[0049] The difference between the maximum and minimum distances from the center of rotation within the range in which the follower moves at a constant speed can be adjusted depending on the required alignment amount and accuracy, and is preferably set to, for example, 0.05 to 1 mm. In this embodiment, the difference is set to 0.6 mm.

[0050] Next, the second extrusion section 23 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 4C. Fig. 4C is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of the second extrusion section 23 according to the first embodiment.

[0051] The second extrusion section 23 has a first part 231, a second part 232, a third part 233, and a fourth part 234. The second extrusion section 23 is rotatable about an axis R.

[0052] The first part 231 has an outermost part 231a, an upper cylindrical part 2311, and a lower cylindrical part 2312. The outer peripheral surface of the outermost part 231a is a curved surface that comes into contact with and adjusts the mounting plate 11, which is the follower. The lower cylindrical part 2312 corresponds to the lower end of the first part 231, and has a smaller diameter than the outermost part 231a.

[0053] The upper cylindrical portion 2311 corresponds to the upper end portion of the first part 231 and has a smaller diameter than the outermost peripheral portion 231a. The upper cylindrical portion 2311 has, for example, a slit-shaped tool receiving portion 231c. When the receiving portion 231c engaged with the tool rotates, the first part 231 rotates around the axis R. As a result, the angle of the outermost peripheral portion 231a of the second extrusion portion 23 changes, and the mounting plate 11 is aligned.

[0054] The lower cylindrical portion 2312 is inserted into a third part 233 that is cylindrical with a bottom and has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the lower cylindrical portion 2312, for example.

[0055] The group of parts other than the first part 231 (second part 232, third part 233, and fourth part 234) are parts for fixing the first part 231. The second part 232 has a male threaded portion on its outer periphery, which faces a female threaded portion on the inner periphery of the first part 231. When the second part 232 is rotated while the first part 231 is fixed so as not to rotate, the second part 232 moves up and down.

[0056] When second component 232 moves upward, fourth component 234 is compressed via third component 233. For example, fourth component 234 is made of an elastic material such as rubber. As fourth component 234 is compressed and crushed, fourth component 234 comes into contact with the inner wall of insertion hole 31a, which is provided in base plate 31 and into which second extrusion section 23 is inserted. As a result, the rotation angle of first component 231 is fixed due to friction between fourth component 234 and insertion hole 31a provided in base plate 31, and between fourth component 234 and first component 231.

[0057] First component 231 is provided with flat surface 231d that faces the inner surface of third component 233. This prevents third component 233 from rotating together with second component 232 when fourth component 234 is crushed to fix the rotation angle of first component 231, thereby preventing a torsional force from being applied to fourth component 234.

[0058] Next, a method for fixing the rotation angle of first component 231 will be described in more detail with reference to Fig. 4D. Fig. 4D is a diagram showing a method for fixing the rotation angle of first component 231 according to the first embodiment.

[0059] To fix the rotation angle of first component 231, it is necessary to rotate first component 231 to the desired angle, and then rotate second component 232 while keeping first component 231 fixed, thereby fixing first component 231 to second component 232. Therefore, it is preferable to use jig 16 to enable the operation of rotating second component 232 while first component 231 is fitted to receiving portion 231c.

[0060] The jig 16 has, for example, a protruding portion 16a having a square-shaped tip, and the protruding portion 16a is fitted into the receiving portion 231c of the second extruding portion .

[0061] Jig 16 has a hollow portion inside, and tool 17, such as a hex wrench, can be inserted into this hollow portion and rotated to rotate second component 232. For example, with protrusion 16a and receiving portion 231c engaged, tool 17 can be used to rotate second component 232 and fix the rotation angle of first component 231. By using such a jig, it is possible to prevent first component 231 from rotating slightly due to friction or the like when rotating second component 232, thereby preventing the position of the adjustment target from shifting.

[0062] Next, a schematic configuration of the first extrusion portion 21 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The first extrusion portion 21 is formed of, for example, a differential adjuster screw 70. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the differential adjuster screw 70 according to the first embodiment.

[0063] The differential adjuster screw 70 has an outer thread 71 and an inner thread 72. When the outer thread 71 rotates, the tip 73 moves back and forth (in the Y direction) while rotating, whereas when the inner thread 72 rotates, the tip 73 moves back and forth without rotating.

[0064] When external screw 71 rotates and tip 73 presses against mounting plate 11, tip 73 rotates, causing a change in the relative positional relationship between groove 111 of mounting plate 11 and tip 73. This causes the direction of the force that tip 73 applies to mounting plate 11 to fluctuate and become unstable, which may reduce the accuracy of alignment of mounting plate 11.

[0065] Furthermore, since the portion of the groove 111 that the tip 73 contacts is not constant, the movement of the tip 73 may not be stable when fixed (fastened), which may reduce the accuracy of alignment of the mounting plate 11.

[0066] When the internal screw 72 rotates while pushing the mounting plate 11, the tip 73 moves back and forth without rotating, so the accuracy of positioning the mounting plate 11 is higher than when the external screw 71 is used.

[0067] For these reasons, it is preferable that for coarse adjustment, differential adjuster screw 70 applies force to mounting plate 11 while rotating external thread 71, and for fine adjustment, differential adjuster screw 70 applies force to mounting plate 11 while rotating internal thread 72. Furthermore, depending on the required alignment accuracy, alignment may be performed using either external thread 71 or internal thread 72 of differential adjuster screw 70.

[0068] For example, in the case of a narrow-pitch nozzle arrangement such as 900 to 2400 dpi that requires highly accurate alignment, it is preferable to align the mounting plate 11 by moving the tip 73 of the differential adjuster screw 70 in the linear direction using the inner screw 72.

[0069] Next, with reference to Figures 6A and 6B, an example of the elastic body that constitutes the first push-back portion 22 and the second push-back portion 24 will be described. Figures 6A and 6B are diagrams showing an example of the elastic body that constitutes the first push-back portion 22 and the second push-back portion 24 according to the first embodiment.

[0070] The first push-back portion 22 and the second push-back portion 24 are made of an elastic body, such as a ball plunger or a spring locating pin.

[0071] 6A is a component generally made up of a spherical ball 81 and a spring 82 that pushes it out. Ball plunger 80 is mainly used for positioning, fixing, pressure welding, pushing out, etc.

[0072] 6B is a component generally made up of a pin 91 and a spring 92 that pushes it out. The spring 92 pushes the pin 91 to a certain position, and the pin 91 is inserted into another component or hole to fix the position of that component.

[0073] In this embodiment, a ball plunger 80 shown in FIG. 6A is used as the first push-back portion 22, and a spring locating pin 90 shown in FIG. 6B is used as the second push-back portion 24.

[0074] Next, the head group 30 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the head group 30 according to the first embodiment.

[0075] The head group 30 has mounting plates 11a to 11e, a base plate 31, first extruding portions 21a to 21e, first push-back portions 22a to 22e, second extruding portions 23a to 23e, second push-back portions 24a to 24e, a third extruding portion 210, a third push-back portion 220, a fourth extruding portion 230, and a fourth push-back portion 240. Note that, although the number of mounting plates 11a to 11e is shown here as five, this is not limiting. In other words, the number of mounting plates 11a to 11e may be N (N is a natural number equal to or greater than 2).

[0076] Furthermore, if the nozzle pitch of the inkjet head attached to the mounting plate is 300 dpi, a nozzle pitch of (300 x n) dpi can be achieved by arranging n inkjet heads perpendicular to the nozzle row and shifting the nozzle position of each inkjet head by 1 / n in the direction of the nozzle row.

[0077] The mounting plates 11a to 11e are arranged along the scanning direction (a direction substantially perpendicular to the X direction) on the base plate 31. Specifically, the five mounting plates 11a to 11e are arranged in parallel in the X direction, and are arranged on the base plate 31 in a staggered pattern in which their positions are alternately shifted from one another in the Y direction.

[0078] In other words, the mounting plates 11a to 11e are arranged alternately with one another in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first adjustment mechanism 201 moves the mounting plates 11a to 11e, which are the objects to be adjusted.

[0079] Corresponding to the mounting plates 11a to 11e, first extrusion portions 21a to 21e and first push-back portions 22a to 22e are provided as an adjustment mechanism equivalent to the first adjustment mechanism 201 described in FIG. 3, and second extrusion portions 23a to 23e and second push-back portions 24a to 24e are provided as an adjustment mechanism equivalent to the second adjustment mechanism 202.

[0080] Mounting plate 11c, which is placed in the center, is a plate that serves as a reference for aligning mounting plates 11a, 11b, 11d, and 11e that are placed on base plate 31. Since mounting plate 11c serves as a reference for alignment, it is preferable that mounting plate 11c be fixed to base plate 31. Figure 7 shows a configuration example in which there is no adjustment mechanism corresponding to mounting plate 11c.

[0081] The reference mounting plate may be any of the mounting plates 11a to 11e, and for example, the mounting plate 11a may be the reference mounting plate. In this case, there may be no adjustment mechanism corresponding to the mounting plate 11a.

[0082] When multiple mounting plates 11a to 11e are arranged side by side to increase the density of the nozzle arrangement, it is important to reduce the width in the scanning direction (X direction) during printing. This is because if the width in the scanning direction is large, the time difference between when ink is ejected onto the printing object 7 increases, making printing more likely to become uneven. Also, from the perspective of printing takt, the smaller the width in the scanning direction, the better.

[0083] Furthermore, when the first extruding portions 21a-21e and the first pushing back portions 22a-22e are used as Y-direction adjustment mechanisms and the second extruding portions 23a-23e and the second pushing back portions 24a-24e are used as rotational direction adjustment mechanisms, it becomes difficult to densely arrange the first extruding portions 21a-21e and the first pushing back portions 22a-22e side by side. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 7, the adjustment directions of the first extruding portions 21a-21e and the first pushing back portions 22a-22e are arranged so as to alternately be in opposite directions.

[0084] Furthermore, if the second extrusion portions 23a-23e and the second push-back portions 24a-24e are arranged between the mounting plates 11a-11e, the width of the head unit 10 in the X direction will increase. Therefore, the mounting plates 11a-11e are arranged in a staggered pattern, with their positions alternately shifted in the Y direction, and the second extrusion portions 23a-23e and the second push-back portions 24a-24e are provided in the portions that protrude from the adjacent mounting plates 11a-11e. This makes it possible to reduce the width of the head unit 10 in the X direction.

[0085] Furthermore, in order to arrange the mounting plates 11a-11e side by side at as narrow an interval as possible in the scanning direction without interfering with the adjustment mechanisms of the first push-out portions 21a-21e, the first push-back portions 22a-22e, the second push-out portions 23a-23e, and the second push-back portions 24a-24e, it is preferable to have a small number of adjustment mechanisms. Therefore, it is preferable that one of the mounting plates 11a-11e arranged side by side on the base plate 31 does not have these adjustment mechanisms.

[0086] Furthermore, a third pushing section 210, a third pushing-back section 220, a fourth pushing section 230, and a fourth pushing-back section 240 are provided as adjustment mechanisms for adjusting the position of the base plate 31 in the horizontal and rotational directions.

[0087] The third extrusion section 210, the third push-back section 220, the fourth extrusion section 230, and the fourth push-back section 240 have the same functions as the first extrusion sections 21a to 21e, the first push-back sections 22a to 22e, the second extrusion sections 23a to 23e, and the second push-back sections 24a to 24e, respectively, and enable the base plate 31 to be aligned by moving the base plate 31 in parallel and rotational directions.

[0088] The base plate 31 needs to be adjusted in the Y direction and the rotation direction throughout the inkjet device 1, so these adjustments can be made using one of the mounting plates 11a to 11e on the base plate 31 as a reference.

[0089] If an adjustment mechanism is provided on all of the mounting plates 11a to 11e, an adjustment mechanism is also provided on the base plate 31, resulting in a doubly-equipped mounting plate. As shown in Fig. 7, it is preferable that one of the mounting plates 11a to 11e in the base plate 31 is a mounting plate that is not provided with an adjustment mechanism that serves as a reference for alignment, and that the adjustment mechanism is provided on the base plate 31.

[0090] Furthermore, the base plate 31 may be provided with only one of an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the horizontal position and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the rotational position.

[0091] The inkjet device 1 is manufactured in the following procedure. First, the mounting plate 11, to which the inkjet head 12 is fastened and fixed, or the inkjet head 12 is disposed offline on the base plate 31. Then, the base plate 31 is mounted on the inkjet device 1, and the base plate 31 is aligned. Then, the current nozzle positions are confirmed using a printing process or a nozzle observation camera, and the position of the inkjet head 12 or the base plate 31 is fine-tuned based on the results.

[0092] Next, a configuration example of the head unit 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8A to 8C.

[0093] 8A, the head unit 6 may be configured to have two head groups 30. In this case, the two head groups 30 are positioned offset in the Y direction so that the area where the nozzles are located is expanded in the Y direction. With this configuration, the printing width in one stage scan can be expanded, and the number of stage scans can be reduced, thereby shortening the printing takt time.

[0094] 8B, the head unit 6 may have three head groups 30. With this configuration, the inkjet device 1 can further expand the printing width, thereby further shortening the printing tact time.

[0095] 8C, the inkjet device 1 may be configured to have multiple head units 6. With this configuration, it is possible to expand the printing width while suppressing increases in weight and size per head unit 6.

[0096] In the cases of FIGS. 8A to 8C, alignment is performed for each base plate 31 using each adjustment mechanism.

[0097] For this purpose, the head unit 6 includes a plurality of base plates 31 and a base plate 32 on which the adjustment mechanism is mounted. The adjustment mechanism may be attached so as to be detachable from the base plates 31 and 32. This makes it possible to arrange a plurality of head units 6 at high density when arranging them as shown in FIG. 8C.

[0098] Each of the multiple head units 6 has a drive shaft that operates independently, and when adjusting using an adjustment mechanism, it is preferable to attach the adjustment mechanism with the spacing between the multiple head units 6 widened, perform the adjustment, and then remove the adjustment mechanism after completing the adjustment, and then arrange the units in a high density.

[0099] Next, the alignment of the mounting plate 11 in the rotational direction will be described with reference to Figures 9A, 9B, 10A and 10B.

[0100] In conventional adjustment mechanisms, the second extrusion section 23 that pushes the object to be adjusted in the rotational direction has been, for example, a mechanism that pushes the inclined surface of the object to be adjusted, which has been machined into a tapered shape, with a screw member (tapered pin) or a mechanism that pushes the object to be adjusted with an eccentric pin.

[0101] These mechanisms have the characteristic that the direction of the force applied by the adjustment mechanism to the object to be adjusted is not approximately the same as the direction of movement of the contact point of the object to which the adjustment mechanism applies the force, and the direction of the force itself varies depending on the adjustment angle, etc. Another characteristic is that the input to the adjustment mechanism (such as the amount of rotation) is not proportional to the amount of movement of the object to be adjusted (see, for example, FIG. 10B).

[0102] Due to these characteristics, when adjusting the position of an object to be adjusted using a conventional adjustment mechanism, the adjustment accuracy may be insufficient. This may result in poor workability, increased equipment maintenance time, and reduced facility availability. For example, the effects of backlash, play, and torsional force may increase the amount of movement of the object to be adjusted during screw tightening after adjustment, making the adjustment difficult to perform.

[0103] a. Comparison between the case of the second extrusion section 34 using an eccentric pin and the technology of the present disclosure 9A, the second extrusion section 34 using an eccentric pin and the mounting plate 11 abut at a contact point P, and the eccentric pin rotates around a rotation center 341, thereby pushing the mounting plate 11. The mounting plate 11 moves as it is pushed by the second extrusion section 34. The movement direction A of the mounting plate 11 is a direction approximately perpendicular to a tangent line Q of the second extrusion section 23 at the contact point P.

[0104] In an adjustment mechanism using the second extrusion section 34, the relationship between the input to the adjustment mechanism (such as the amount of rotation) and the amount of movement of the object to be adjusted is not constant but fluctuates, and therefore the angle θ formed between the direction in which the second extrusion section 34 presses the mounting plate 11 and the movement direction A in which the mounting plate 11 moves changes as the second extrusion section 34 rotates. In other words, the movement direction A of the mounting plate 11 and the direction of the force F with which the second extrusion section 23 presses the mounting plate 11 may be the same direction or may be different directions.

[0105] a-1. Torsional force on the object to be adjusted The direction of the force directly applied from second push-out portion 34 to mounting plate 11, the object to be adjusted, does not necessarily coincide with direction A of movement of mounting plate 11. However, when considering the entire system of mounting plate 11, the follower, the direction in which the follower moves according to the equation of motion coincides with the direction of the resultant force of the forces applied to the follower. In other words, the force applied to mounting plate 11 is not only the force applied directly from second push-out portion 34 to mounting plate 11, the object to be adjusted, but is also composed of the resultant force of forces such as frictional forces applied to mounting plate 11 from components such as the rotation fulcrum, first push-out portion 22, second push-out portion 24, etc.

[0106] Therefore, if the direction of the force directly applied from second extrusion portion 34 to mounting plate 11, which is the object to be adjusted, is not substantially the same as movement direction A, a force including a Y-direction component such as a frictional force generated between mounting plate 11 and second extrusion portion 34 will be applied to mounting plate 11, and a force will be applied in a direction that twists mounting plate 11. Therefore, if mounting plate 11 does not have sufficient rigidity, accumulated strain in mounting plate 11 will cause deformation of the plate, which may reduce the accuracy of adjustment.

[0107] In particular, when fastening the mounting plate 11 with screws or the like during alignment work, the stress generated during fastening can easily cause distortion, or the mounting plate 11 can shift in an unintended direction. Conversely, in order to suppress deformation due to the influence of distortion accumulated in the mounting plate 11, it is necessary to increase the rigidity of the mounting plate 11. This is a trade-off with reducing the size of the mounting plate 11 and the inkjet head 12. In other words, it is important to have an adjustment mechanism that does not apply force to the mounting plate 11 in a direction that would twist it.

[0108] a-2. Misalignment of the rotational fulcrum As described above, the direction of the resultant force applied to the mounting plate 11 coincides with the direction in which the mounting plate 11 moves, and this resultant force is determined by the resultant force of the forces applied to the mounting plate 11 from the second extrusion section 34 and other members. Therefore, depending on the rotation angle of the second extrusion section 34, in addition to the force F applied to the mounting plate 11, the influence of forces including a Y-direction component applied to the mounting plate 11 from other members becomes significant. As a result, a force may be applied in a direction that pulls the mounting plate 11 away from the center of rotation S of the mounting plate 11 (see FIG. 10D), which is determined by the positional relationship between the other members and the groove 111 described above. This can cause a misalignment of the rotation fulcrum, which can degrade the accuracy of the adjustment.

[0109] a-3. Misalignment of the eccentric pin due to the force that rotates the eccentric pin At the point of contact P with the mounting plate 11, the second extrusion portion 34 receives a reaction force in the direction opposite to the movement direction A of the mounting plate 11. The direction of the line connecting the point of contact P and the center of rotation 341 does not necessarily coincide with the movement direction A of the mounting plate 11. As a result, a moment is generated in the second extrusion portion 34 in a direction that rotates the second extrusion portion 34 around the center of rotation 341 of the second extrusion portion 34. If the second extrusion portion 34 is completely fixed, the second extrusion portion 34 will not move. However, if the second extrusion portion 34 is fixed with a screw, for example, a strong force will be applied to the second extrusion portion 34, which may cause a deviation in the rotation angle of the second extrusion portion 34. This reduces the accuracy of adjustment of the mounting plate 11.

[0110] a-4. Uneven movement In the second extrusion section 34 using an eccentric pin, the distance from the rotation center 341 to the contact point P changes depending on the amount of rotation, so as shown in Figure 10B, the amount of rotation of the eccentric pin is not proportional to the amount of movement of the mounting plate 11.

[0111] This makes it difficult for maintenance workers to determine the amount of movement from the amount of rotation of the eccentric pin, which raises concerns about longer maintenance times, a resulting decline in equipment operating rates, and a resulting decline in productivity.

[0112] a-5. Second extrusion section 23 of this embodiment In contrast, the second extrusion section 23 of this embodiment includes a constant velocity curve in which the distance from the rotation center to the follower increases or decreases proportionally to the rotation angle, as shown in Fig. 9B. This constant velocity curve is configured continuously over 180 degrees or more. In this embodiment, a pin including such a constant velocity curve is called a constant velocity linear cam pin.

[0113] Because the center of rotation 239 of the second extrusion section 23 is not eccentric, the direction of the force F with which the second extrusion section 23 presses the mounting plate 11 as the second extrusion section 23 rotates is constant, and the angle θ formed between the direction of force F and the direction of movement of the mounting plate 11 is smaller than when an eccentric structure is used. In other words, a force can be applied efficiently in approximately the same direction as the direction of movement of the mounting plate 11, and the Y-direction component and other forces applied to the mounting plate 11 from other members can be reduced.

[0114] This makes it possible to alleviate the problems described in a-1 and a-2, and since the angle θ is constant, it is possible to alleviate variations in the direction in which stress is applied, which is expected to improve linearity.

[0115] Here, the angle θ formed between the movement direction A and the direction of the force F in the cases of the second extrusion section 34 using an eccentric pin and the second extrusion section 23 using a constant-speed linear cam pin will be described with reference to Fig. 10C and Equations 1 to 5. For ease of explanation, the case will be described where it is assumed that the movement direction A shown in Figs. 9A and 9B is parallel to the X direction.

[0116] In the case of the second extrusion section 34 using an eccentric pin, the angle θ varies depending on the rotation angle of the eccentric pin, and its maximum value can be approximately calculated using Equation 1 (ε1: amount of push-in, D: diameter of pin).

number

[0117] The eccentricity amount x and the push-in amount ε1 have the relationship shown in Equation 2.

number

[0118] In addition, in the case of the second extrusion section 23 using a constant velocity linear cam pin, the angle θ is constant within the constant velocity linear cam curve range, and the angle θ can be approximately calculated using equation 3 (ε2: push-in amount, D: pin diameter, α: rotation angle (degrees, deg) of the constant velocity cam pin corresponding to the range in which the constant velocity curve is continuously formed).

number

[0119] Here, if the diameter of both the eccentric pin and the constant-velocity linear cam pin is 12 mm and the push-in amount is 0.6 mm, the angles θmax and θconst can be approximately calculated using formulas 1, 2, and 3, as shown in formulas 4 and 5. Note that α is set to 300 degrees.

number

number

[0120] In this way, the second extrusion section 23 using the constant-speed linear cam pin can reduce the angle θ when the same adjustment amount is achieved with a pin of the same diameter. Therefore, for the reasons described above, the force including the Y-direction component applied to the mounting plate 11 can be suppressed, and adjustment accuracy can be improved.

[0121] It is possible to reduce the angle θ by increasing the diameter D of the eccentric pin and the constant-velocity linear cam pin, but this would result in a trade-off with miniaturization. It is also possible to reduce the angle θ by reducing the push-in amounts ε1 and ε2, but this would reduce the adjustment range of the mounting plate 11 and reduce adjustment efficiency. Therefore, for the same diameter and push-in amount, the second extrusion section 23 using a constant-velocity linear cam pin is preferable, as it allows for a smaller angle θ.

[0122] The relationship between the angle θ and the rotation angle of the eccentric pin and the constant-speed linear cam pin is as shown in Figure 10C. In the case of the second extrusion section 34 using the eccentric pin, the angle θ varies within a range of ±θmax. Specifically, in the case of the above dimensional relationship, the angle θ varies within a range of approximately 5.8 degrees. On the other hand, the second extrusion section 23 using the constant-speed linear cam pin can suppress the variation in the angle θ, and the angle θ remains constant at θconst.

[0123] Note that the angle θ indicates the relative angle with respect to the X direction when it is assumed that the movement direction A is perpendicular to the Y direction, but strictly speaking, the movement direction A is determined by the positional relationship between the rotation center S of the mounting plate 11 (a fulcrum determined by the relationship between the tip portion 211 and the groove portion 111) and the contact point P between the mounting plate 11 and the second extrusion portion 34. Below, we will explain the angle θ between the movement direction A and the force F, taking into account the rotation center of the mounting plate 11.

[0124] As shown in Fig. 10D, the movement direction A coincides with the direction of the tangent G1 at the point of contact P with the circle G centered on the rotation center S, and is therefore determined by the relationship between the lengths La and Lb shown in Fig. 10D. For example, if La = 155 mm and Lb = 3 mm, the angle between the movement direction A and the X axis is 1.1 degrees, which is approximately the same as the above-mentioned θconst.

[0125] In other words, by adjusting the positional relationship of the mounting plate 11 and the center of rotation S of the mounting plate 11 to the desired dimensional relationship in accordance with the shape of the constant-velocity linear cam pin, it is possible to make the angle θ between the force F that the constant-velocity linear cam pin applies to the mounting plate 11 and the direction of movement A of the mounting plate 11 as close to 0 as possible.

[0126] In order to arrange the inkjet heads with high precision, it is desirable that the angle θ between the force F and the moving direction A be between 0 and 2 degrees. In the case of the second extrusion section 34 using an eccentric pin, the angle θ fluctuates, and therefore it is not possible to make the angle θ approach an arbitrary angle (for example, 0 degrees) as described above.

[0127] In order to make the angle θ between the force F and the moving direction A approach zero, the second pushing section 23 using the uniform velocity linear cam pin is preferably disposed at a position away from the center of rotation S.

[0128] In order to make the angle θ approach 0 within the constraints of miniaturization, it may be necessary to set Lb to the desired dimension by making the X-direction width of the mounting plate 11 smaller than the width of the inkjet head 12, as in this embodiment. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 10E, it is desirable to make the width W1 of the mounting plate 11 that comes into contact with the second adjustment mechanism 202 that adjusts the rotational direction of the mounting plate 11 smaller than the width W0 of the mounting plate 11 in the XY plane.

[0129] In this embodiment, the pin diameter is 12 mm, the push-in amount is 0.6 mm, La=155 mm, and Lb=3 mm, so that the angle θ formed between the force F and the moving direction A is 0.01 degrees.

[0130] In this way, second extrusion section 23 using a constant-speed linear cam pin can keep the direction of force F constant while aligning mounting plate 11, and can reduce the angle θ between force F and movement direction A. By reducing the angle θ, the Y-direction component of force acting on mounting plate 11 can be reduced, improving the accuracy of aligning mounting plate 11 and reducing the time required for alignment.

[0131] Furthermore, by keeping the direction of force F constant, the stress applied to mounting plate 11 during alignment is constant, making it possible to reduce variations in the movement characteristics during alignment. Therefore, for example, during alignment, it is possible to keep the positional deviation of mounting plate 11 due to the screw tightening operation constant.

[0132] Even if the position of the mounting plate 11 is shifted due to the screw fastening work, it is possible to perform alignment by predicting the position shift, thereby improving the accuracy of aligning the mounting plate 11 and reducing the time required for alignment.

[0133] The above describes the effects from the viewpoints of a-1 and a-2, but from the viewpoints of a-3 and a-4 as well, by using a constant velocity linear cam pin, it is possible to improve adjustment accuracy and shorten adjustment time as described in each viewpoint.

[0134] With this configuration, the second extrusion section 23 improves the accuracy of adjustment of the object to be adjusted, unlike the second extrusion section 34 that uses an eccentric pin. Furthermore, the amount of rotation (input amount) of the second extrusion section 23 and the amount of movement of the mounting plate 11 are proportional, as shown in FIG. 10A. This allows the maintenance worker to manage the amount of movement using only the amount of rotation, improving workability. This is expected to shorten maintenance time, improve equipment operation rate, and increase productivity.

[0135] Next, the alignment of the mounting plate 11 in the horizontal direction will be described with reference to FIGS. 11A to 11D.

[0136] b. Method of changing the direction of the force at the tapered section b-1. When using a screw to directly move the taper pin up and down while rotating (see Figure 11A)

[0137] Consider the case where the first extrusion section 36 shown in FIG. 11A is used instead of the first extrusion section 21. The first extrusion section 36 has a screw section 361, a tip reference pin section 362, and a tip section 363. The screw section 361 is the main body of the first extrusion section 36, and has a screw thread on its side. When the screw section 361 rotates, the first extrusion section 36 moves in the Z direction. The tip reference pin section 362 has a tapered shape, and pushes the inclined surface 110 provided on the mounting plate 11 via the tip section 363.

[0138] The first pushing portion 36 applies a force to the inclined surface 110 to align the mounting plate 11. At this time, because the movement direction of the first pushing portion 36 differs from the direction of the force F11 applied to the inclined surface 110, adjustment is performed using a horizontal force F11y. In this case, a diagonal reaction force F12 is applied to the first pushing portion 36.

[0139] There is a certain amount of play in the engagement between the crests and roots of the threads on the screw portion 361. The first pushing portion 36 receives a reaction force F12 in a direction different from the direction of movement, which tends to cause variations in the posture of the screw portion 361 and backlash. This tends to cause fluctuations in the posture of the screw portion 361 and complications in the pushing and pulling motion, which may prevent the first pushing portion 36 from operating smoothly.

[0140] In particular, in the case of a pulling operation, compared to a pushing operation, it is necessary to strengthen the restoring force of the first push-back portion (not shown) on the opposite surface of the mounting plate 11 and the preload on the screw, which tends to result in insufficient linearity of the operation, and this deteriorates the accuracy of adjustment by the adjustment mechanism.

[0141] b-2. When moving the tip reference pin etc. up and down without rotating it via a screw etc. (See Figure 11B) Consider the case where a first extruding part 37 shown in Fig. 11B is used instead of the first extruding part 21. The first extruding part 37 has a guide part 374, and differs from the first extruding part 36 described above in that the screw part 371 and the tip reference pin part 372 are separate parts. Other configurations are substantially the same as the first extruding part 36 described above.

[0142] The first pushing portion 37 applies a force to the inclined surface 110 to align the mounting plate 11. At this time, since the movement direction of the first pushing portion 37 differs from the direction of the reaction force F21 applied to the inclined surface, adjustment is performed using a horizontal force F21y. In this case, a diagonal reaction force F22 is applied to the first pushing portion 37.

[0143] Even if the first extrusion portion 37 receives a reaction force F22 in a direction different from its own movement direction, the guide portion 374 regulates the posture of the first extrusion portion 37, so that the posture of the screw portion 371 is less likely to fluctuate and the pushing / pulling action is less likely to become distorted than in the case of the first extrusion portion 36 described above.

[0144] On the other hand, a reaction force F21 is applied to the guide portion 374. In other words, when a force is applied in a wedge-like direction, the operation of the screw portion 371 is likely to be strained. In the case of a pulling operation, compared to a pushing operation, it is necessary to strengthen the restoring force of the first push-back portion (not shown) on the opposite surface of the mounting plate 11 and the preload on the screw, which tends to result in insufficient linearity of the operation. This reduces the accuracy of adjustment by the adjustment mechanism.

[0145] b-3. When the screw and the tip reference pin are configured as one unit and the tip reference pin is moved up and down while rotating (see Figure 11C) Consider the case where a first extrusion portion 38 shown in Fig. 11C is used instead of the first extrusion portion 21. The first extrusion portion 38 differs from the first extrusion portion 37 described above in that the screw portion 381 and the tip reference pin portion 382 are integrated. The other configurations are the same as those of the first extrusion portion 37 described above.

[0146] The first pushing portion 38 applies a force to the inclined surface 110 to align the mounting plate 11. At this time, because the movement direction of the first pushing portion 38 differs from the direction of the force F31 applied to the inclined surface, adjustment is performed using a horizontal force F31y. In this case, a diagonal reaction force F32 is applied to the first pushing portion 38.

[0147] Even if the first extrusion portion 38 receives a reaction force F32 in a direction different from its own movement direction, the guide portion 384 regulates the posture of the first extrusion portion 38, so that the posture of the screw portion 371 is less likely to fluctuate and the pushing / pulling operation is less likely to become distorted than in the case of the first extrusion portion 36 described above.

[0148] On the other hand, to realize this configuration, there are strong constraints on processing, and there are concerns that it may increase the size and cost of the first extrusion part 38. For example, it is necessary to perform high-level coaxial processing on the screw part 381 of the first extrusion part 38, the tip reference pin part 382, ​​the tip part 383, and the screw and guide of the first push-back part (not shown).

[0149] Furthermore, in order to achieve high adjustment resolution, the first extrusion section 38 must be configured with a complex screw mechanism, such as a differential adjuster screw, and its tip must be coaxial and machined with high precision to have a tip reference pin section 382 molded integrally.

[0150] Furthermore, in order to reduce the effects caused by the difference between the direction in which the screw portion 381 moves while operating and the direction in which the mounting plate 11 moves while operating, the first extrusion portion 38 needs to be equipped with complex and highly precise machined parts, which leads to an increase in size and cost.

[0151] b-4. When the mounting plate 11 is aligned by the first extrusion portion 21 of this embodiment When the mounting plate 11 is aligned using the first extrusion section 21 of this embodiment shown in Fig. 11D, the direction in which the first extrusion section 21 moves while operating is the same as the direction in which the mounting plate 11 moves. This allows the first extrusion section 21 to be simple and compact, and can suppress the aforementioned fluctuations in posture and complications in the pushing and pulling motion. This improves the accuracy of adjustment and the ease of maintenance work.

[0152] It is preferable that the first pushing portion 21 is configured so that the tip portion 211 of the first pushing portion 21 pushes the mounting plate 11 without rotating, so that the direction of the force applied to the mounting plate 11 is constant.

[0153] It is preferable that the shape of the tip 211 of the first extrusion portion 21, the shape of the groove 111 of the mounting plate 11, and the relative position of the mounting plate 11 with respect to the first extrusion portion 21 are perfectly reproducible, but in reality this is difficult. For this reason, when the first extrusion portion 21 pushes the mounting plate 11 while rotating the tip 211, the direction of the force that the first extrusion portion 21 applies to the mounting plate 11 fluctuates, causing the mounting plate 11 to move in a curved manner rather than in a straight line.

[0154] Therefore, it is preferable that the first extrusion section 21 has the configuration shown in FIG. 11D, which allows high-resolution adjustment of the position of the mounting plate 11 without rotating the tip.

[0155] As described above, if the direction of the force applied by an adjustment mechanism such as first extrusion section 21 to an adjustment object such as mounting plate 11 is not constant, a situation will arise in which the direction of the force applied by the adjustment mechanism to the adjustment object differs from the direction in which the adjustment object moves during operation. Therefore, it is preferable that the direction of the force applied by the adjustment mechanism to the adjustment object is constant, and that the angle formed between the direction of the force applied by the adjustment mechanism to the adjustment object and the direction in which the contact point between the adjustment mechanism and the adjustment object moves is constant. Furthermore, it is preferable that the above-mentioned angle is zero or at least within 2 degrees.

[0156] Furthermore, if the input amount to the adjustment mechanism is not proportional to the amount of movement of the adjustment target, the operational linearity will be insufficient, reducing the workability of maintenance work for the inkjet device 1 and lengthening the maintenance period. For this reason, it is preferable that the input amount to the adjustment mechanism is proportional to the amount of movement of the adjustment target.

[0157] That is, to achieve high adjustment resolution, it is necessary to configure the adjustment mechanism so that the angle between the direction of the force applied by the adjustment mechanism to the adjustment object and the direction of movement of the adjustment object is constant, and so that the input amount to the adjustment mechanism and the movement amount of the adjustment object are proportional to each other. For this purpose, it is preferable to configure the adjustment mechanism to align the position of mounting plate 11 using an adjustment mechanism having first extrusion portion 21 and second extrusion portion 23.

[0158] <Summary of the embodiment> As described above, the inkjet device of this embodiment includes an adjustment object whose position is to be adjusted, and an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the position of the adjustment object, wherein the adjustment object is an inkjet head or a mounting plate to which the inkjet head is attached, and when adjusting the position of the adjustment object, the direction of the force that the adjustment mechanism applies to the adjustment object is constant.

[0159] This configuration allows for efficient alignment of inkjet heads with high-resolution nozzle arrangements (for example, 900 to 2400 dpi) to within a few micrometers, making it possible to accommodate the increasing need for high-resolution inkjet devices 1.

[0160] In the above-described embodiments, the notation "... part" used for each component may be replaced with other notations such as "... assembly," "... device," "... unit," or "... module."

[0161] Although the embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims. It is understood that such modifications or alterations also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the components in the embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. [Industrial Applicability]

[0162] The present disclosure is useful for inkjet devices and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0163] 1. Inkjet device 2 bases 3 Guide 4 Transport table 5 Gantry 6 Head Unit 7 Printing material 8 Drive unit 9 Mini Bass 10 Head Unit 11 Mounting plate 12 Inkjet head 12a Nozzle plate 12b Nozzle row 13. Insulation 14 screws 16 Jig 16a Protrusion 17 Tools 20 Adjustment mechanism 21 First extrusion section 22 1st push back part 23 Second extrusion section 24 2nd push back part 30 Head Group 31 Base Plate 32 base plate 34 Second extrusion section 36 First extrusion section 37 First extrusion section 38 First extrusion section 70 Differential adjuster screw 71 External screw 72 Internal screw 73 Tip 80 Ball Plunger 81 ball 82 Spring 90 Spring location pin 91 pins 92 Spring 110 Slope 111 Groove 201 1st adjustment mechanism 202 Second adjustment mechanism 210 Third extrusion section 211 Tip 212 Main body 220 3rd push back part 230 4th extrusion section 231 First Part 231a Outermost part 231c Receiving part 231d Plane section 232 2nd Part 233 Third Part 234 4th Part 239 Center of rotation 240 4th push back part 341 Center of rotation 348 Second Extrusion Section 361 Screw part 362 Tip reference pin 363 Tip 371 Screw part 372 Tip reference pin 374 Guide part 381 Screw part 382 Tip reference pin 383 Tip 384 Guide part 2311 Upper cylindrical part 2312 Lower cylindrical part A. Direction of movement P contact Q tangent θ angle

Claims

1. an adjustment object whose position is to be adjusted; an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the adjustment object; the adjustment target is an inkjet head or a mounting plate for mounting the inkjet head, When adjusting the position of the adjustment object, the direction of the force that the adjustment mechanism applies to the adjustment object is constant. Inkjet device.

2. the angle formed by the direction of the force and the direction in which the adjustment object is moved by the force is constant; The inkjet device according to claim 1 .

3. the angle between the direction of the force and the direction in which the adjustment object is moved by the force is between 0 degrees and 2 degrees, The inkjet device according to claim 2 .

4. The adjustment mechanism includes a first adjustment mechanism that translates the object to be adjusted to perform alignment, and a second adjustment mechanism that rotates the object to be adjusted to perform alignment. The inkjet device according to claim 1 .

5. The adjustment mechanism is a constant velocity cam pin configured with a constant velocity cam curve over a range of 180 degrees or more. The inkjet device according to claim 4 .

6. the adjustment mechanism is a differential adjuster screw that adjusts the position of the object to be adjusted by translating the object to be adjusted, and a tip of the differential adjuster screw is in contact with a groove at one end in the longitudinal direction of the object to be adjusted, and the tip of the differential adjuster screw translates the object to be adjusted by translating it. The inkjet device according to claim 1 .

7. the adjustment object includes at least a first adjustment object and a second adjustment object, At least the first adjustment object and the second adjustment object are arranged side by side in a staggered manner, the adjustment mechanism includes at least a first adjustment mechanism that is provided on a protruding portion of the first adjustment object that protrudes from the second adjustment object and that rotates the first adjustment object to adjust the position; The inkjet device according to claim 1 .

8. the adjustment mechanism includes a second adjustment mechanism that adjusts the position by translating the adjustment object at an end of the first adjustment object opposite to the protrusion, The inkjet device according to claim 7 .

9. The adjustment objects include first to Nth adjustment objects (N is a natural number of 2 or more), the first to Nth adjustment objects are arranged in a staggered pattern, The adjustment mechanism is not provided on one of the first to Nth adjustment objects. The inkjet device according to claim 4 .

10. The adjustment objects include first to Nth adjustment objects (N is a natural number of 2 or more), a base plate on which the first to Nth adjustment objects are arranged in a staggered pattern; a plate adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the base plate; Furthermore, When adjusting the position of the base plate, an angle formed between the direction of the force applied to the base plate by the plate adjustment mechanism and the direction in which the base plate moves due to the force is constant. The inkjet device according to claim 1 .

11. The adjustment mechanism includes a first component having a constant velocity cam that makes the moving speed of the adjustment object constant; a second component moving toward the first component; an elastic body provided between the first component and the second component, the elastic body coming into contact with the first component and being crushed when the second component moves toward the first component; Equipped with The inkjet device according to claim 1 .

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